Locking device for filing-receptacles or the like.



No. 709,845. Patentedfiept. 23; 1902.5

DQ E. WRIGHT. LOCKING DEVICE FOR FILING REGEPTACLES OR THE LIKE.

(Application filed July 12, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DARNIN E. WRIGHT, OF \VASHINGTON', DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR FlLlNG-RECEPTACLES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,845, dated September 23, 1902.

Application filed July 12, 1902. Serial No. 115,374. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern" Be it known that I, DARWIN E. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wash ington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Filing-Receptacles or the Like, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in devices adapted for filing away letters and docu ments or for filing away cards, sheets,and the like containing information, which may be readily accessible to authorized persons.

In the particular embodiment herein illustrated the invention is illustrated as .it will be applied to the well-known system of card-indexing now in such extensvie use and is an improvement upon the devices shown in my previous applications for Letters Patent, filed May 22, 1902, Serial No. 108,554, and May 28, 1902, Serial No. 109,352.

The broad idea of the presentinventiou is the same as set forth in the other applications namely, to provide a locking mechanism for the drawer and one for the'card-rod, which mechanisms are mutually dependent upon each other in one of the following respects: (A) simultaneous unlocking of both; (B) successive unlocking of boththat is, the cardrod looks after the drawer has been unlocked by the further action of the drawer-lock; (C) simultaneous locking of both; (D) successive locking of both-that is, the release of certain mechanism will first lock the card-rod, and then further movement of such mechanism will lock the drawer.

The main feature of the present invention consists in providing a single sliding or rocking lever or bar which carries both the locking-bolt for the drawer and the locking devices for the card-rod, the manipulation of a key serving to unlock bot-h and to bring into action mechanismwhich holds the parts un locked until said mechanism is released, when the parts return to locked position.

In one form of my invention a sliding bar carrying on one end the drawer-locking bolt and upon the other end a card-locking device is provided, while in another form a pivoted lever is used carrying upon one arm the drawer-locking bolt and on the other arm the card locking mechanism. Furthermore, I have so arranged these parts that the action of the key to move the sliding bar or swing the pivoted lever may simultaneously unlock the cardrod with the unlocking of thedrawer or have so arranged the parts that the initial releasing of the drawer-bolt will not release the card-rod; hut in a successive movement of said bar or lever the card-rod will be released. Furthermore, the releasing of the bar or leverengaging mechanism to hold them in retracted position may simultaneously or successively operate the respective locking devices.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face View of one form of my invention with the outer plate of the basing removed and showing the mechanism in position when both the drawer and card-rod are locked, and in this figure the parts are so arranged and the throw of the bar which carries the card-rod lock and drawer-lock is such that the initial withdrawal of the bolt does not release the card-rod; but the latter is released by further action of the sliding bar. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the simultaneous unlocking of the drawer and card-rod. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that instead of a sliding bar a pivoted lever is used; and Fig. 4. is a View similar to Fig. 2, except that a pivoted lever instead of sliding bar is used.

In the drawings, A represents one face of the casing, in which the locking mechanism is supported. Through the lower end of this projects the usual card-rod G, which passes through and supports the cards or other papers to be filed away in the manner common in such devices.

dis a key-opening,and b an opening through which passes a manipulating knob or pin 0 for setting in motion the locking devices.

The locking-bolt of the drawer is represented at 1 and is carried in Figs. 1 and 2 upon the end of a sliding bat-B, which is normally pressed outwardly in the engagement with a locking-slot in the casing of the cabinet by a spring 4. The sliding bar B on its lower end has a headed slot,the'narrow portion 5 of which is adapted to receive and bind against the side of the card-rod in order to lock the same. The headed part of the slot is large enough to allow of movement of the card-rod therethrough when the bar I is slid to release the narrow part of the slot from engagement with said card-rod. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the manipulation of the bar B by the key will retract the bolt from its locking engagement with the cabinet-casing and also move the narrow part of the slot in the barout of engagement with the card-rod C. In Fig. 1 the narrow part of the slot is shown as a little longer than the engaging portion of the bolt, so that when the bolt is withdrawn the card-rod is not unlocked, but a further withdrawal of the bolt or sliding of the bar B is necessary to release the card-rod. In Fig. 2, however, the card-rod is simultaneously released with the bolt. To provide for holding this bar Bin retracted position, a spring-pressed lever 14, having a catch 15 on its upper end and manipulated by the pin 0, extending through the slot (1, is provided, the upper end 15 of this lever being shown in Fig. 1 adapted to successively engage notches 7 and 8 in the sliding bar B, and in Fig. 2 this upper end 15 engages the notch '78. Referring to Fig. 1, when the drawer is unlocked the end 15 of the lever 14 engages the notch 7 and holds the bar 13 retracted. 'lhis unlocks the drawer, but not the card-rod; but a further downward movement of the sliding bar B will release the card-rod, and the part 15 of the lever 1-.t will engage the notch 8 and hold the bar in its lowest retracted position, thus leaving the card-rod and drawer both unlocked. To return the parts to locked position without manipulation of the key, the pin a is moved in the slot (7 when the projection 15 of the lever 141 first is disengaged from the slot 8, and the bar B will move upward to lock the card-rod, and the further movement of the lever 14 will release the end 15 from engagement with the notch 7 and cause the parts to look. In Fig. 2 only one notch 78 is provided, for the reason that the locking and unlocking action is simultaneous-that is, as the bar B is moved downwardly by the key or allowed to move upwardly by manipulation of the lever let the drawer and card-rod will successively be unlocked and locked.

In Figs. 3 and 4, which in respect to mode of operation correspond to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, a pivoted lever B is shown, one arm of which has the notches 7 S, corresponding to notches 7 8 shown in Fig. 1, and

in Fig. 4 a notch 78 is shown, corresponding to the notch 78 in Fig. 2. The operation of the parts is respectively like the operation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that a single instead of a double key is used and the levers B are swung on their pivots 16, the slots in the lower arms of the levers B being marked 5, corresponding with 5 of Figs. 1 and 2. The construction and mode of operation of the lever 14 is substantially the same in connection with Figs. 3 and 4 as is the operation of the corresponding part in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a card-index system or similar filing apparatus, a card rod or support, a locking device therefor, a locking device for the receptacle, and a movable support carrying both locking devices, and means for unlocking and locking them in one operation; sub: stantially as described.

2. In a card-index system or similar filing apparatus, a card rod or support, a locking device therefor, a locking device for the receptacle, and a movable support carrying both locking devices, and means for unlocking them, a catch for holding the movable support in retracted position, and means for releasing the catch to allow the return of the support; substantially as described.

3. In a card-index system or similar filing apparatus, a card rod or support, a locking device therefor, a locking device for the receptacle, and a movable support carrying both locking devices, and means for unlocking them, said movable support having a series of notches, a catch respectively engaging said notches as the support is moved to successively unlock the receptacle and card-rod, and means for releasing the catch; substantially as described.

4. In a card-index system or similar filing apparatus, a locking device therefor, a card rod or support, a locking device therefor, and a single pivoted lever carrying the locking device for the receptacle and for the card rod or support, and means for operating it; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DARWVIN E. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

A. L. HoUoH, M. V. THOMPSON. 

